Graft row: Day later, four Panipat Municipal Corporation staffers sacked, probe on

Mukesh Tandon

Tribune News Service

Panipat, December 31

Taking note of the CID chief’s letter, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation (MC), Panipat, on Friday ordered a time-bound inquiry into the matter. He also sacked four outsourced employees and removed three permanent employees and a outsourced woman staffer, whose names were mentioned in the letter, of the MC from public-dealing seats till further orders.

The Tribune had carried news item ‘Hry CID chief’s letter exposes graft in Panipat MC’ on December 31. Taking note of it, MC Commissioner RK Singh swung into action today.

Four outsourced employees — Sumit, Vikas, Vijender and Tushar – were sacked and three permanent employees — Praveen Verma, Anil and Ramesh – and a woman staffer were removed from public-dealing seats with immediate effect.

The Commissioner also wrote a letter to the agency concerned not to send these outsourced employees to work till further orders as a complaint against them has been received. An inquiry into the matter is underway which is being conducted by this office.

Besides, members of Samyukta Vyapar Mandal (SVM) — presidents of around 45 markets in the city — on Friday protested against the corruption in the MC and submitted a memorandum of demands to Deputy Commissioner (DC), Panipat, through Kuldeep Malik, Tehsildar, to initiate action against the people involved in corrupt practices.

The protesters also demanded lodging of FIR against the employees and agents who were harassing the people and sought their arrest.

The SVM members also served an ultimatum to initiate action against these persons within a week and also threatened that they would go to Chandigarh to submit a memorandum after a week.

As per sources, the Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) has also taken stringent note of the CID chief’s letter about the involvement of employees of MC, Panipat, in corruption. The CVO has sought detailed fact-finding report into the matter by January 5, 2022 so that necessary action could be initiated in the matter.

RK Singh, MC Commissioner, said that a time-bound inquiry has been ordered into the matter and Superintending Engineer (SE) would conduct the inquiry. He directed the SE to submit inquiry report within three days.

Notably, CID chief ADGP Alok Mittal had sent a letter exposing corruption in the Panipat MC. He said some employees and agents were taking bribe for clearing property ID files. The ADGP CID has even disclosed the names of the active agents, including MC officials, in the letter which went viral on social media.

Submit probe report in 3 days, SE told

MC Commissioner RK Singh has directed Superintending Engineer to submit inquiry report within three days.